Could two rookies end up starting on the offensive line? Could rookies again end up as the team\u2019s leading receiver and passer? It seems possible. And though it\u2019s too early to know how the Browns will prioritize and attack their needs, it\u2019s probably safe to say the door is open for at least four or five rookies to be immediate offensive contributors.<\/p>\n
The Browns have their own picks in Rounds 1-5 and Jacksonville\u2019s first-round pick as a result of last year\u2019s draft-day trade. We know Cleveland is slated to pick at Nos. 6 and 24 in the first round, No. 39 in the second round and No. 70 in the third.<\/p>\n
Because compensatory picks start at the end of the third round, the full draft order won\u2019t be finalized until after comp picks are awarded. So, we\u2019ll designate the Browns\u2019 third-day picks just by round for now. Last year, the sixth pick of the fourth round was No. 108 overall, and the sixth pick of the fifth round was No. 144, some guy named Shedeur Sanders.<\/p>\n
As Berry has noted, the Browns figure to have eight of the top 150 picks. There will be no trades included in Browns mock draft version 1.0, though future mocks could incorporate trade scenarios \u2014 and Cleveland might start making deals ahead of the March 9 player movement period.<\/p>\n
Berry\u2019s track record includes two trades for wide receivers that involved third-day picks, and the Browns currently own three fifth-round selections among their 10.<\/p>\n
Where applicable, the number in parentheses represents the player\u2019s ranking on Dane Brugler\u2019s pre-combine list of the top 100 prospects in this year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n
Here are the best guesses at this too-early stage.<\/p>\n
Round 1, No. 6: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (10)<\/p>\n
I\u2019m torn at this early stage between wide receiver and tackle. But, for now, I think Tate\u2019s playmaking and potential make him a logical target.<\/p>\n
Tate is just 21 and isn\u2019t a finished product. But his explosion and body control give him a chance to eventually become a top-tier NFL wide receiver, and he\u2019s good enough immediately to help whomever the quarterback(s) might be in 2026.<\/p>\n
One of my strongest early offseason predictions is that the Browns will be aggressive in seeking an experienced wide receiver via trade or the first wave of free agency. But I still think the team will also consider using a first-round pick on a receiver who might become a true No. 1 down the road.<\/p>\n
Because Cedric Tillman is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the Browns are stuck with Jerry Jeudy for another season, it\u2019s time to think about 2026 and 2027 in remaking and upgrading the receiving corps.<\/p>\n
If the Browns like Tate, they can wait until later to address the offensive line.<\/p>\n
Round 1, No. 24 (via Jaguars): Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama (17)<\/p>\n
The rebuild of the Browns\u2019 offensive line won\u2019t come in just one draft or one phase. Proctor, who doesn\u2019t turn 21 until June, offers raw ability and rare size.<\/p>\n
NFL.com\u2019s draft profile calls Proctor \u201ca mass of humanity.\u201d We\u2019ll get official measurements at the NFL Scouting Combine, but Alabama listed the former five-star recruit at 6-foot-7, 366 pounds.<\/p>\n
Proctor was No. 2 on Bruce Feldman\u2019s Freaks List<\/a> last summer. He projects as a right tackle who could potentially move to right guard, and he\u2019ll go somewhere in the late first or early second round.<\/p>\n Teams see the size and ability. Soon, they\u2019ll decide if Proctor can eventually put it all together at the game\u2019s highest level. Wrote Brugler: \u201cIf his discipline and technique catch up to his physical ability, we\u2019ll be cooking with gas.\u201d<\/p>\n Round 2, No. 39: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU (82)<\/p>\n The Browns might be waiting until 2027 to really pursue a quarterback, and there\u2019s a chance Sanders makes that pursuit unnecessary. But there\u2019s also a real chance the Browns view another quarterback addition as necessary \u2014 and Nussmeier is a bit of a known commodity in draft circles, even if he doesn\u2019t head to the end of the process with a bunch of momentum.<\/p>\n The son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, Garrett Nussmeier was viewed as a potential first-round pick last year. He returned to school hoping to lead LSU to a national championship, but he played poorly behind a struggling offensive line and dealt with multiple injuries.<\/p>\n Nussmeier was cleared to play in last month\u2019s Senior Bowl<\/a> as part of what he hopes will be a path toward rebuilding his draft stock. Assuming he remains healthy and interviews well, the second round seems a logical landing spot \u2014 and interested teams won\u2019t be able to wait.<\/p>\n
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